From Bizerte to Dougga

The old harbour is the heart of Bizerte, a body of water framed by white houses and centuries old walls where fishing boats glide silently by. A place full of charm and rich in history. On the quays, enjoy the atmosphere by taking a seat on a cafe terrace. Then delve into the silent Kasbah ringed with stone walls. Explore along the narrow streets of the medina, visit the souks, admire the 17th century Turkish fountain as you walk past. Climb up to the Spanish Fort which dominates the city, to enjoy the view across the harbour. Take a stroll through the city centre, which still keeps its look of an old colonial city with its wide avenues. Relax by the new marina or the commercial harbour bustling with activity. Around the town, you will no doubt have your breath taken away by the lush green landscape of hills, fields of wheat and orchards: this region is one of the most fertile in Tunisia.

Cosied up around its old port, Bizerte is a grand destination to taste quality seafood. As a starter or main course, feast on cuttlefish, squid, shrimp… Your fish may be served grilled and accompanied by fried vegetables, or cooked in the oven with cumin and saffron. The northern valleys are a rich agricultural land where cereals, livestock and olive groves rub shoulders. In the region, a speciality during the festivals is t’bikh, a kind of simmered wheat soup with lamb meat, perfumed with spices and orange peel. You will also taste a delicious delicately perfumed couscous with grouper. Couscous is an old Berber dish made from semolina cooked with steam, usually garnished with lamb and vegetables; however in the coastal towns, it is often happily prepared with fish. You will find the best restaurants to dine at close to the beachside hotels, the old harbour and the marina.

The ruins of Utica, the first colony founded by the Phoenicians in Tunisia, and of Dougga, a small indigenous town that later became Roman, bear witness to the ancient past of this fertile region. In Dougga, one can see an exceptionally well conserved ancient city, where emerging from the ruins are monuments such as the Numidian mausoleum, the theatre and the capitol building. Bizerte occupies a strategic location in the Mediterranean which has determined up until the present day its military vocation. Its interior harbour and its great lake linked to the sea would welcome privateer’s galleys up to the 17th century. To the south of Bizerte, Ghar el-Melh once housed the Ottoman navy; one can still see there the ruins of the arsenal and three fortresses. The surrounding region was built up and enhanced in the same era by the Andalusians, the Muslims who were chased out of Spain. They also made their home in Testour, a small town where one can find uniquely designed mosques, inspired by Spanish churches. Lake Ichkeul is one of the most important wetland areas in the Mediterranean. It is a unique ecosystem, characterised by the seasonal variation between freshwater and saltwater, which attracts thousands of waterbirds. A forested mountain overlooks the lake, it shelters remarkable flora and fauna.